The best team in each conference is already into the second round of the NBA playoffs as the Warriors demolished the Blazers in 4 and the Cavs snuck out a couple of road wins to take down the Pacers. It’s pretty obvious that these two teams are on a collision course right now. No other teams in the playoffs have looked quite as good as those two. Not even the Spurs.

I would say that it would be more surprising if the Cavs and Warriors didn’t face off in the finals at this point. The only thing that could get in the way is Clevelands refusal to play defense at times and Golden States head coaching concerns.

The NFL draft is this week! I could care less.

So many things to discuss never enough time or effort on my part to get through them all. One of these days I will become a more consistent and thought provoking writer, but until then enjoy the ADD version of a sports/beer blog.

Last night in the Clippers/Jazz game, Blake Griffin injured his toe and has been ruled out the rest of the playoffs. Poor Clippers, right? No, I’m glad this happened. I am so tired of the bandwagon Clipper fans coming out the woodwork saying they were fans from the beginning. Bull S**t! You jumped ship when the Lakers started to lose and now that the Clippers have been “good”(they still haven’t made a Western Conference Final) you needed a “winning team” to follow. I’m over it!

The Clippers aren’t going to win more than one series in these playoffs. Especially without Griffin, and with a lot of this team being free agents at the end of the season. Next year, this could be a totally different team. And with all honesty, it should. This team couldn’t get the job done in the playoffs. When you share a building with the second winningest team in NBA history, you better win titles or start a new rebuild. It will be interesting to see what happens during the summer.

Enough of a rant about the Clippers. Can I move to baseball real quick?

Dear Angels, can we please get Mike Trout some help? I am tired of wasting his historically mind boggling career to terrible teams. Help is not necessarily on the way, but this team needs to step their collective games ups before we are talking about the best player in baseball leaving in free agency in a couple years. Also, can we stop knocking him for not giving great interviews. I’m tired of reading about how these reporters would rather interview a rock. Just because he doesn’t give you headline material by making random accusations or claims doesn’t mean that he doesn’t have the personality to be the face of the MLB.

This wasn’t supposed to be a rant day, but it turned out that way I guess… Oops!

How about some beer. Haven’t been able to find any 120 minute IPA yet, so I am going to get another Dogfish Head beer. SeaQuench Ale. My lady claims it to be one of her favorite beers so I look forward to trying this session sour quencher brewed with lime peel, black limes & sea salt. Sounds interesting. Cheers!

It’s a beautiful Friday morning. I am still in recovery mode following my appendectomy and waiting for the day when things return to normal. Until then, at least I have time to write some things down.

Did anyone see that Pacers/Cavs game last night. The Cavs looked like a first round exit was coming the way they played that first half. Down 25 at the half and giving up 72 points to a Pacer team that seemed to be brimming with confidence. It was quite the show. Then Lebron became the driving force to one of the greatest comebacks in NBA history. They basically shed that entire lead in the 3rd quarter alone. The defense looked championship quality, but that was the issue. Why did it take so long for them to finally show up and play some D? Tons of concerns still with the Cavs, but now they can relax a little up 3-0 on Indy.

Milwaukee made Toronto look like an 8th grade pick up game team. It was embarrassing for everyone I’m sure. But, the Barney intro that was played during the Raptors player announcements was at least comical. Expect Toronto to bounce back in Game 4, but I think ultimately the Greek Freak and his band of misfits moves on in 6.

Memphis grinded out a win in the way that only Memphis knows how. Foul fest and all, the game was actually quite entertaining. Every call against Memphis was like watching the jury at a major trial (see coach Fizdale’s comments post game 2). Anyways, the Spurs gave them one game, but that’s all for Memphis. Even with Vince Carter and his somehow incomprehensible explosiveness can’t take down the fighting Pops.

In beer news, I still don’t know how I want to handle the Beer aspect of this blog. I may go any number of directions with this. Brewery of the Week? Beer of the Day? Upcoming beer events? There are so many things that happen on a daily basis in the Socal beer world I will have to figure out how to handle it all. In the meantime, enjoy your weekend. Enjoy a nice beer and some hockey, baseball or basketball. Cheers!

I have been confined to my home for over a week now recovering from an emergency appendectomy and I am starting to go a little crazy. So…. I figured why not do some writing to make the next ten minutes go by in an instant.

In the last week Dogfish Head 120 minute IPA has made its way West. I am beyond excited as I first tasted this beer a few years ago and fell in love. Now that I can get it when I please, I will make sure to do just that. If you haven’t had it yet, it is a big hoppy mess of a high ABU beer. How high exactly? How about 18%. This beer will knock you on your butt after just one most likely, but it’s worth it for sure. Go find it near you!

On the sporting front… MLB is now in full swing (no pun intended), the NBA playoffs are off to an interesting start. How are the Celtics down 2 games to the Bulls? Yeah, nobody knows. Hockey is marching it’s way through the first round about a month faster than the NBA, just like every year. I don’t understand how the NBA makes the playoffs last 2 months when it could easily be done in one, but hey that’s how you make more money I guess. GO DUCKS!!!

After one game in each series let’s see where we are at in terms of most likely team to win each series.

#1 Golden State vs. #8 Portland

The Warriors are the best team in the NBA and let’s face it, Portland doesn’t really stand a chance in this series. Game 1 did show that if Dame Lillard and CJ McCollum go off, they have a chance to win. But, that chance is very low. Still, Golden State for the sweep.

#2 San Antonio vs. #7 Memphis

The fighting Kawhi Leonard’s took care of business in game 1. Memphis will need to play near perfect basketball in this series to even win one game. I think they do it once and bow out in 5 games.

#3 Houston vs. #6 Oklahoma City

Russell Westbrook vs James Harden. That matchup means very little, because Houston just has more talent and depth. Westbrook may force his team to win to games out of pure force of will, but thats all. Houston in 6.

#4 LAC vs. #5 Utah

The Jazz went into Staples to steal game one on ISO Joe’s runner in the lane. They lost Gobert for at least a game or two, which hurts. This LA team just can’t win in playoff time, but I see them sneaking away with a game 7 win here. Utah still a year away.

Then there’s the Eastern Conference playoffs. You know… the conference that allowed Lebron to reach 6 straight NBA Finals. I don’t know how Cleveland gets bounced before the Finals again this year. Even as the #2 seed and their vulnerable look against Indiana in game 1. Lebron will get them to the Finals. There comes a point where I just don’t even care what happens in the East. I hope Chicago takes out Boston, because I am tired of the Boston underdog story as the #1 seed. The Wizards and whoever wins that Toronto/Milwaukee series still don’t have the talent to contend in the East, even when the East is still a JV conference. Cleveland walks into the Finals rested like usual against the worn out, battle tested Western Conference winners.

Today is Jackie Robinson day. Celebrating one of the bravest athletes of all time as he was the first black major league baseball player. On this day every year I get caught up thinking about Jackie Robinson. A man who has meant so much to the game of baseball and to the world in general and I can’t help but wish that this day never was a thing.

Jackie Robinson should not have been the first MLB player who was black. The mere fact that it took so long for this to happen is absolutely astonishing and it makes me realize that even now in the year 2017, there is far too much racial separation. Jackie Robinson should be commended for the way he handled himself with grace in a time where he was constantly berated for being black. From what I have read about the man, he was an outright gentleman and nothing but a decent human being who happened to be black.

With our current racially diverse and yet somehow completely backwards American culture, I wait for the day when a superstar athlete in any sport gets puts through the ringer like Robinson did. It’s only a matter of time really. Our “President” is not the most racially accepting person (See here, Trump says golf only for the rich elite). How long is it until we are seeing more people pursuing racial segregation in sports? Don’t even get me started on the White Basketball League (All-American Basketball Alliance).

It pains me to think that no matter how accepting people can be of other people, there is still so much hate in this world. Honestly, it’s extremely depressing. Every day I hope that somewhere, somehow people will get past the hate and the baffling prejudice against other human beings and just learn to accept those for being different. Jackie Robinson, along with many other people, did not have to endure the type of aggressive acts of hate that they endured. There are far too many Donald Trumps in this world and not nearly enough like Jackie Robinson. Thank You Jackie.

I spent my weekend in Las Vegas seeing a concert and of course, drinking beer. I had a lot of really good beer, but two really stood out for me. One was Victory Brewing’s Sour Monkey. Just a really good sour beer that isn’t too overwhelmingly sour. Extremely drinking for the basic beer drinker to the craft beer connoisseur. The other beer was from the Hofbrauhaus in Las Vegas. I go to Vegas all the time and could not believe that I have never been to this place before. It is an authentic German brewery and restaurant that really was an amazing experience. I got their Original lager and it was spectacular and of course it was served in a liter glass which was awesome. If you are ever in Vegas and want a new experience, definitely visit the Hofbrauhaus.

On the sports side of things. Russell Westbrook is not human. If he doesn’t win the MVP this year the sporting world may never be the same. That 40 footer to win the game against Denver on Sunday was just flat out ridiculous.

A huge congratulations goes out to Sergio Garcia for his Masters title on Sunday. The guy has been so close so many times and finally got that first major title. We’ll see if that leads to more majors in the same way that Phil Mickelson broke the Major title drought and then went on to win 6 or 7.